Game apparatus.



Patented Oct. 31, 1916 T W BRANCH GAME APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED JAN.2I I916 -Fig.l 4 @711 THOMAS W. BRANCH, 0F COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed January 21, 1916. Serial No. 73,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. BRANCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Muscogee and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus and has particular application to a game in which are combined the features of amusement and education.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide educational game ap paratus which will be found especially useful for the amusement and instruction of children, the apparatus being so constructed as to quicken the thinking powers of children and teach them orthography.

IVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 a plan view of a game board constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing several of the blocks employed, in perspective.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 1 designates a board constructed of any suitable material and if desired, this board may be formed of hinged sections so that the same may be opened and closed. The plane surface of the board 1 is marked off by transverse and longitudinal lines 2 and 3 respectively and the transverse lines 2, in the present instance, are spaced apart equal distances, while the longitudinal lines 3 are spaced apart corresponding distances and these lines provide square spaces 4. Inscribed on the spaces 4: respectively are the letters of the alphabet, each letter being used twice on different parts of the board, thus making use of 52 of the 64: spaces on the board. Four of the remaining spaces are used for the most used letter combinations as qu, ou, sh and oh. While the remaining eight spaces are to be used by inscribing the word Play across the two center spaces on both sides and ends of the board. I

5 indicates cubes adapted to be thrown onto the plane surface of the board, or placed on the sp'aces marked Play and rolled out by a quick motion of the thumb, and, in the present instance, four of these cubes are employed, and inscribed on the respective faces of the cubes are the letters of the alphabet. As only four cubes are employed, but twenty-four letters of the alphabet are inscribed on the cubes, one letter on each face. However, any letter in the alphabet may appear in any combination since all of the letters of the alphabet are found on the board.

When playing the game, roll the four cubes onto the board in either of the abovementioned ways and make note of-the letters appearing on the upper end of the cubes and the letters in the squares in which the four cubes come to rest, treating the combinations as one word. This gives 'you eight letters in each play, and by playing for eight times, jotting the letters made in each play down on a piece of paper, one combination under the other, you may build words both from the letters in each combination and from the letters up and down the combinations. Children beginning may use three cubes which will give six letters in the combinations. The Winner of the game will be the person making the greatest number of Words from his combination, deducting as a penalty a given number for all misspelled words and words that have no meaning.

The spaces 4 are preferably arranged after the fashion of the squares on a checker board so that the game of checkers may also be played upon the board and the checker board men may be used as counters in other games played. For instance, assuming four players to be playing a game, each of the four players could take six of the checker board men and play the cubes on the board which, by using only the letters on top of the cubes, will give four letters to build words from as soon as they come to rest on the board when played. The first man making a word from these letters puts one of his men across the board provided the Word is correct. If it should be a misspelled word or an incorrect word, he takes over one other man to his side as a penalty. The first player getting rid of all of his men wins the game.

It will be seen that I have provided a game apparatus which will be found cspecially useful to amuse and educate children, and which will make the children think quickly.

I claim:

In game apparatus, a board marked oil by transverse and longitudinal lines to provide segregated spaces having the letters of the alphabet inscribed thereon respectively along with certain letter combinations, and

blocks having the letters of the alphabet inscribed thereon adapted to be thrown onto the board and to rest in said spaces to govern the playing of the game.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. BRANCH. W'itnesses T. M. BURNS,

G. SWANSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fi-ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

